Visa Cash App Racing Bulls inaugurates state of the art fuel cell plant in Faenza

The facility forms part of the 14,500 square metre Racing Bulls Green Energy Park, located adjacent to the team’s headquarters in Faenza, Italy.

Developed in cooperation with official supplier Cefla, the project aligns with the sustainability objectives of Red Bull Racing, Formula 1 and the FIA.

At the heart of the installation is a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell system, branded NOVA SOLUTION by Cefla, directly powered by certified biomethane sourced from local partners.

The plant is integrated with a photovoltaic system, creating a self sufficient energy ecosystem for the Faenza site.

According to the team, the Fuel Cell enables average annual production of 4.6 GWh of zero carbon electricity. Heat recovery from the system fully covers the site’s heating requirements, while its water free operation reduces resource consumption and overall environmental impact.

The plant is also designed to minimise emissions and eliminate noise pollution, establishing a new internal benchmark for energy efficiency across the organisation.

Enrico Fastelli, Facility Management and HSE Director at Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, said: “I am thrilled to highlight our commitment to minimizing the environmental footprint of our operations and achieving true energy autonomy. By forming strong partnerships with local suppliers, we’re not only reducing emissions but also driving innovation and growth within our community.

“By maximising opportunities for synergy with the local area, we’re fostering the development of skills and partnerships that benefit everyone involved.”

Cefla President Gianmaria Balducci linked the project to the company’s long engineering heritage: “In 1932, Cefla was founded in Imola with a clear mission: engineering excellence at the service of progress. Today, exactly one year after the start of our partnership with Visa Cash App Racing Bulls, we are celebrating a milestone that projects that same vision into the future of sustainability.

“We are inaugurating a NOVA SOLUTION by Cefla plant that is already up and running and fully operational. This gives us great pride to see how our history, made up of great achievements, is now enriched with a new chapter in which Italian technological innovation guarantees energy self sufficiency to such an illustrious partner.”

Mario Gargano, Sales Director BL Energy at Cefla, added: “The Fuel Cell plant in Faenza is proof of what can be achieved when technological innovation meets environmental responsibility. The plant is unique on the market, with 550 kW of fuel cells powered directly by biomethane produced in the nearby Caviro plant, with zero emissions for the environment.

“This plant not only enables innovative technology but is also a prime example of how companies at a local level can work together. We at Cefla are proud to be actively participating in such projects.”

The new installation underlines Racing Bulls’ ongoing investment in infrastructure and sustainability as Formula 1 continues its push towards a more environmentally responsible future.